i have folders and folders of pictures of houses / buildings / architecture / house design. It's what i'm aiming to do, to build a place of my own. I've recently been taken on as a apprentice carpenter so i can do it.......learn, then go to the forest and never return - Thoreau style.

it was difficult; but to save uploading ALL my photos, here are some current ones that make me feel something:

I don't know if you ever watch Grand Designs, but a few years ago there was a guy called Ben Law who built a house in the woods, probably the best GD ever. But he does 'training months' where you can go and learn how to build A-Framed houses and bits and bobs of forest living, forestry management etc - I'm gonna see him next year.....totally looking forward to it :)

saw that the other day, the finished house was very impressive, loved the use of straw bails as interior walls, it was a beautifully crafted home.

yeah, its some kinda ideal, huh?

I worked on a couple of Grand Designs shows too....a few years ago. Kevin was quite the chap. I think he was seriously moved by that guy too. Most of the time he compliments and criticises the houses very much as projects but you can absolutely see that when Kevin talks to Ben Law on that episode, his conversations take a much more spiritual / 'existential' path. I think he is genuinely in awe of the guy.

Ideal, maybe for some but not for me i like being able to pop next door for a pint of milk, but i can see the appeal of it. There was proper admiration to Ben in that episode as to what he had created and his way of living.

Good thread this.Like Grand Designs too,and the one with the woodsman,Ben was the all time best.
There was another one where a retired couple renovated a house in France and did nearly everything themselves.
But the ones where some well-heeled nobhead builds a monument to bad taste,runs way over budget by constantly changing his mind,etc.-fucking nauseating

Good thread this.Like Grand Designs too,and the one with the woodsman,Ben was the all time best.
There was another one where a retired couple renovated a house in France and did nearly everything themselves.
But the ones where some well-heeled nobhead builds a monument to bad taste,runs way over budget by constantly changing his mind,etc.-fucking nauseating

hauska its not hijacking at all. if you want to apologise for anything you can apologise for now making me think too much about changing how my shed is going to look :-)

it only reminded me of barcelona because of the colour of bricks and grand building tops. when i was there for the one and only week i have ever been there when walking up la rambla on our way to the gaudi park; buildings that weren't gaudi dreams looked similar to those-my memory could be playing tricks on me though.